Gypsy Jazz Student - Paulus Schafer

Paulus
Schäfer (born 1978) is one of the most talented Gypsy Jazz guitarists
from The Netherlands today. Born into a Dutch Sinti (Gypsy) community he
learned to play the guitar at a very early age. Besides listening to
fellow Sinti and records of his idol Django Reinhardt, it were Wasso
Grünholz - a legend of his own within the community - from whom he
learned the most. After a short period of time, in which Paulus briefly
took over the lead guitar of Jimmy Rosenberg in the Gipsy Kids, he
formed his own group and recorded his debut album “Into the Light” in
2002, followed by many concerts and numerous – headlining - invitations
to jazz festivals: Sziget Festival Budapest (H), Khamoro Prague (CZ),
IGGF Gossington (UK), Django Reinhardt Festival Samois-sur-Seine (FR),
Gipsy Festival Anger (FR), International Gipsyfestival (NL), Amersfoort
Jazz (NL), Haarlem Jazz (NL), Folkwoods Festival (NL) to name a few.

Being
a musician on high demand, Paulus is often to be found on stage with
other musicians, like The Rosenberg Trio, Tim Kliphuis, Prisor Jazz
Band, Andreas Öberg, Jimmy Rosenberg and can be found on many albums. He
also recorded two more albums with his own group in 2006, ‘Desert Fire’
and ‘Live at the NWE Vorst’ with the Paulus Schäfer Gipsy Band and The
Tilburg Big Band. Paulus has a particular sound, easy recognised, and
although all Paulus’ albums are true to a distinctive Gipsy Jazz/Swing
sound, Paulus is always looking for a new modern sound. Not only to
broaden his own horizons, but also a more representative Gipsy Jazz
sound for the 21st century.

Paulus Schafer grew up in the Sinti camp in Nuenen, surrounded by the best musicians of the world. They taught him to develop his musical abilities, in the traditional way. By working hard, with the influence of those fantastic teachers and thanks to his own beautiful talent, he has become a worldwide respected and appreciated guitarist. It is not just the way he plays guitar that made him popular, it is also his personality: kind, patient, good humored and modest. Those traits do not only make him an outstanding performer, but an excellent teacher as well. He respects everybody equally and transmits his love for making music easily to others. It makes no difference to him whether you have just picked up a guitar for the first time in your life, or wether you are a professional musician. Paulus is a top musician and a natural teacher.